1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to seismic exploration, and more particularly to a new and improved method of mapping P-wave stacked reflective data to allow for easy interpretation.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
The goal of seismic exploration is to search for geophysical characteristics indicative of hydrocarbon, mineral, groundwater supplies and geological faults. Normally, an explosive device or means of creating a vibration is directed into the earth. The waveforms, or a portion of the waveforms are reflected back to the surface, and collected. This raw seismic reflective data is then plotted versus depth to map the boundaries of the underlying geological characteristics.
Conventional methods to enhance seismic reflective data include the use of attributes, or single valued measurements extracted from windows within the data. One of the most popular methods uses the Hilbert transform-based attribute values of instantaneous amplitude, frequency and phase, to assist in the creation of specific maps of geophysical characteristics. However, the Hilbert transform method requires the use of long, complex mathematical operators based on sophisticated mathematical equations. These complex equations reduce the overall resolution making it nearly impossible to accurately map the boundaries of geophysical characteristics indicative of hydrocarbon, mineral, groundwater supplies and geological faults. Furthermore, because of the diverse terrain and inhomogeneities through which the waveform travels, interpretation of the data is very subjective.